Pakistan Hindu Council demanded establishment of a Committee under Prime Minister for Interfaith Harmony

Karachi / Islamabad (November 9, 2014): Patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council and Member National Assembly, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani has proposed establishment of an active committee at federal level under Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif to prevent increased atrocities against minorities, to ensure formation of a violence-free society and to promote religious harmony. This suggestion is unanimously endorsed in an urgent meeting called by executive body of Pakistan Hindu Council, on Sunday, which also assigned Dr Ramesh the task to contact other representative parties in this regard, said a press statement.

According to details, the meeting was chaired by Chela Ram Kewlani to review mounting atrocities against Minorities across the country. Condemnation of brutal killing of Innocent Christian Couple was exclusively added in meeting agenda. In the context of recent kidnapping of Hindu citizens, particularly of minor girl Anjali from Dherki, Kiran from Nawab Shah and Jeoti from Hyderabad, the participants highly demanded Prime Minister and Provincial Chief Ministers to implement an effective and practical legislation to protect Minorities Rights, adding that interfaith harmony and Hindu Marriage Acts were need of time.

Chela Ram while expressing his views said that oppressed Minorities saw a ray of hope with the Supreme Court Orders to protect Minorities rights, but unfortunately state institutes while following their routine negligible approach became fail for the implementation, adding that minorities are still as vulnerable as they were one and a half year ago, till today land mafia is active towards Religious places occupation and kidnapping of Hindu Girls is still happening. He regretted that Minorities were also becoming hopeless with the Current Government.

At this occasion, Dr Ramesh Kumar said, Constitution of Pakistan guaranted Minorities Rights. He urged that people would be made aware of Quaiz e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Founder of Pakistan speech delivered at the occasion of Pakistan Constitutional Assembly on 11 August 1947, where he clearly said, it’s the first duty of state to take care of the welfare of citizen, minorties’ rights should be protected without discrimination. He emphasized that Pakistan’s national poet Allama Iqbal was also in support of a welfare state.

Pakistan Hindu Council also proposed names for the inclusion of interfaith committee; including Pir Amin-ul-Hasnat Shah (State Minister for Religious Affairs), Maulana Shirani (JUI-F), Mir Hasil Bazanjo (BNP), Khawaja Sohail (MQM), Abdul-Qehar Khan Wadan (PMAP). Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani from Hindu Community and Kamran Michael from Christian community and at least one member from each religious parties including Jamat e Islami.

Later, Dr Ramesh Kumar also briefed journalists about the proceedings of emergency meeting, held at The Pakistan Hindu Council Secretariat. He said, kidnapping of Innocent Hindu girls, forced conversion and forcibly marriages were barbaric issues faced by Hindu Minorities and it was mainly due to absence of Hindu Marriage Registration Act. He regretted that Sindh Government failed to address Minorities Issues including, protection of Holy Places of Worships, Cemeteries, illegal occupation etc, adding that misuse of the Blasphemy Laws on larger scale resulted in the harassment of Minorities and to fulfill personal enmities.

Expressing grave concerns on the incident of burning alive a Christian Couple, Dr. Ramesh said this incidence has created a Panic among Minorities, increase in insecurities and performance of state institutions of Pakistan also became questionable at national and international level.

Dr Kumar also warned that the fire of that is ignited today and affecting innocent patriotic minorities’ lives, would wrap whole peace loving Pakistani citizens in the near future.

On the occasion, Dr Kumar also requested Media, Civil Society stake holders and common citizens to play their due role to develop a violence-free society.

The meeting was attended by Hotchand Kirmani VP, Dr Deepak General Secretary, Gopal Das, Raja Assarmal, Bharat Kumar, Paman Lal and other Hindu representatives and advisors around the country.